I observe that the Competences appear to have moved from the application form into Career Manager - and the IET failed to submit my Career Manager submissions with my initial application, whoops!

First off, make good use of the Professional Registration Advisor or Mentor services from the IET. Ask questions before you start compiling your evidence and that can save making many changes later on.



Also, be realistic about the class you're applying for and be really clear about how your experience maps to the UKSPEC competencies.



For those further down the line, volunteering as a PRA or mentor is a great way to support the next generation of engineering professionals.



Andy Webb

CEng MEng MIET

Ask the IET for a Mentor,  the IET's professional registration discussion forum  is also useful http://www.theiet.org/Forums/forum/categories.cfm?catid=7&entercat=y 



Regards



Malcolm Atkins

As PRA's can receive quite a number of requests for advice, an alternative source is someone who has recently gone through the PR process.  They know what's it like warts and all!



Yet another route can be by attending LN meetings. Here too there can be Committee members who may well be active PR Interviewers and/or  Assessors  or even a Committee member who has recently become registered.

We are considering offering optional CPD certificates to lecture attendees, particularly for more technical lectures, in the hope of attracting a few younger members along.

We usually get a healthy audience, but the majority tend to be retired members. Whilst I don't begrudge them an evening out, I'd like to think we'd something to offer to practicing & early years engineers too.

Andrew Webb:

First off, make good use of the Professional Registration Advisor or Mentor services from the IET. Ask questions before you start compiling your evidence and that can save making many changes later on.



Also, be realistic about the class you're applying for and be really clear about how your experience maps to the UKSPEC competencies.



For those further down the line, volunteering as a PRA or mentor is a great way to support the next generation of engineering professionals.



Andy Webb

CEng MEng MIET

Andrew, You're elected to PRA. You can't volunteer for it.

Alex Barrett:

We are considering offering optional CPD certificates to lecture attendees, particularly for more technical lectures, in the hope of attracting a few younger members along.

We usually get a healthy audience, but the majority tend to be retired members. Whilst I don't begrudge them an evening out, I'd like to think we'd something to offer to practicing & early years engineers too.

While certificates are record of attendace Alex, they are no proof that anything has actually been learned.



Retired Members can for younger members be a very useful source of information and advice if approached. RMs have also to keep up their CPD if they wish to retain their EC registration and do wish to continue acquiring knowledge. They also appreciate the socal aspects of LN meetings.

Ronald McMurtrie:



While certificates are record of attendace Alex, they are no proof that anything has actually been learned.

The same could be said of university degrees, the relationship between real talent and academic achievement is tenuous. I attend many technical seminars that I consider valuable CPD, but don't ask me to recall too much of the contents.

If a young engineer attends our lecture on circuit principles, for example, I see no reason why that shouldn't be recognised formally for CPD.

Roll up your sleeves, fix bayonets and prepare for get on with it or it wll be a long journey........


Having just completed a near 14 year experience, WHAT!!! 14 years I hear you cry, (tut, tut). I got my CEng with nothing more than a city and guilds 236pts 1 and 2, a few Neebosh certs (3) a cert and diploma in asset managemnt (aka common sense decision making) and making time to complete a journey of self improvment!


I am so proud I did it, I started on the good old paper forms years ago and came across career manager about 3-4 years ago. And thats when I knew, start here and you will finish, its just time, narrative and applcation. To be frank I would have been happy with IEng, but having spent many years in construction, and im not ashamed to say fighting with inept design companies and engineers about first principles being forgotten then I knew I would tick the CEng box. 


Please Note, just when I thought I was done teh IET asked for more....twice.. That nearly was the straw that made me give up. But now I see why.


You need to be a bit selfish and sell yourself and the best engineers are always the humblist and most passionate. They are also always busy on jobs, so making time is imperative. I do wish some lamens guides were produced it would increase numbers tenfold if they did.


Other than that lock yourself away on a sunday or fifteen somewhere quiet and read and type, slowly. Then prepare for a constructive kicking from peers...

Thanks for sharing this Paul - I think there is still a myth out there that you need a Masters to get CEng, so it's good to see people that have taken a different route to get into engineering.